Utah dealer plates and temporary permits carry rules dealers break routinely without realizing it. You get five dealer plates plus one per 25 vehicles sold annually, a plate cannot go on a rented or sold vehicle, temporary permits expire in 45 days and the issuing dealer owes a penalty equal to the registration fee after that, and a plate suspension must be appealed within 10 days.
Last updated: October 2026
Key Takeaways
- The division issues five special dealer plates per licensed dealer, plus one additional plate for every 25 motor vehicles the dealer sells each year.
- A dealer who does not sell at least three vehicles in any 12-month period cannot be issued or renewed any special dealer plates at all.
- Dealer plates may not be used on a vehicle leased or rented for compensation, in place of registration on a vehicle the dealer has sold, or on a loaded commercial vehicle over 26,000 pounds without a loaded demonstration permit.
- You must keep a written record accounting for every plate at all times, including who each one is assigned to, open to inspection by any peace officer or division employee.
- Temporary permits run 45 days. After that they are delinquent and a penalty equal to the registration fee is collected from the issuing dealer.
- A plate suspension takes effect immediately on written notice, and the appeal window is 10 days, not the 30 days that applies to a license action.
How Many Dealer Plates You Actually Get
Section 41-3-503 sets a formula rather than a flat number. The division may issue five special dealer plates to each licensed dealer, plus one additional special dealer plate for every 25 motor vehicles the dealer sells each year.
There is a floor beneath that. A dealer licensed under the chapter who does not sell at least three new or used motor vehicles in any 12-month period may not be issued, or have renewed, any special dealer plates. A license that is technically active but commercially dormant loses its plates.
The division determines the number at least annually before issuing or renewing, using the dealer’s past sales history. Where no sales history exists, which is the situation for every new licensee, the division may use generally accepted sales projections based on written forecasts the dealer submitted to manufacturers, financial institutions, or bonding and insurance companies, the dealer’s inventory available for sale, or written verification of credit extended by financial institutions to finance inventory.
That last provision is worth planning around. The forecast you gave your floor plan lender can become the basis for your plate allotment, so those numbers should be consistent with what you tell the division.
What a Dealer Plate Lets You Do
Under Section 41-3-501, a dealer may operate or move a motor vehicle displaying a dealer plate on the highways without registering it, if the dealer owns the vehicle or possesses it by consignment for resale. That ownership or consignment condition is the boundary of the privilege.
Other license classes get their own plates with much narrower uses. A dismantler plate moves a vehicle only from the place of purchase or legal acquisition to the place of business for dismantling, or to a licensed crusher for disposal. A manufacturer or remanufacturer plate is limited to delivering a vehicle to a dealer, demonstrating it to a dealer or prospective dealer, or conducting manufacturer tests. A transporter plate covers moving a vehicle from the point of repossession to a financial institution or storage, to and from a detail or repair shop, or to a delivery point in, out, or through the state, and it does not extend to loaded vehicles subject to the gross vehicle weight rating provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act.
The Three Prohibited Uses
Section 41-3-501 states plainly where dealer plates may not go.
Dealer plates may not be used: (a) on a motor vehicle leased or rented for compensation; (b) in lieu of registration, on a motor vehicle sold by the dealer; or (c) on a loaded commercial vehicle over 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating unless a special loaded demonstration permit is obtained from the division.
Each of these maps to a common practice. Putting a dealer plate on a unit you rent out for compensation is prohibited. Letting a sold vehicle leave on a dealer plate because the paperwork is not finished is prohibited, and a temporary permit is the correct tool for that. And demonstrating a loaded commercial vehicle over 26,000 pounds requires the loaded demonstration permit that Section 41-3-502 provides for.
Section 41-3-504 adds display requirements that read as minor and get cited anyway. A special plate must be prominently displayed on the rear of the vehicle where clearly visible, free from foreign materials, clearly legible, and securely fastened in a horizontal position.
The Plate Log Nobody Keeps
Section 41-3-507 requires each dealer, dismantler, manufacturer, remanufacturer, and transporter to keep a written record of each special plate issued to the licensee. The record must contain the name and address of any person the plate has been assigned to, must account at all times for every plate issued to the licensee, and must be open to inspection by any peace officer or any officer or employee of the division.
Failing to maintain records is a Level I civil violation under the schedule in Section 41-3-702, and a special plate violation is separately listed at the same level. Those start at $25 but escalate to $250 for a third offense within 12 months, and more importantly they are the kind of finding that turns a routine inspection into a broader look at the store.
Lost and stolen plates carry their own consequence. A licensee must report a lost or stolen special plate to the division immediately. If a dealer does not, the division adds any replacement plate to the dealer’s total allotment, meaning the replacement comes out of the dealer’s own count rather than being issued on top of it. A licensee may replace a lost or stolen plate only after the plate has expired, or after providing a police report to the division and having the plate listed as stolen in the National Crime Information Center.
Temporary Permits: The 45-Day Clock
Under Section 41-3-302, a dealer or the division may issue a temporary permit, and the division furnishes the forms for permits issued by dealers. A dealer may issue a temporary permit to a bona fide purchaser for a period not to exceed 45 days on a vehicle the dealer sold to that purchaser.
The financial exposure sits with the dealer, not the customer. The dealer is responsible and liable for the registration fee of each vehicle a permit is issued for. Any issued temporary permit still outstanding after 45 days is delinquent, and a penalty equal to the registration fee is collected from the issuing dealer.
There is relief in one situation. If a dealer issues a permit and the sale is subsequently rescinded, the permit may be voided and the issuing dealer is not liable for the registration fee or the penalty. That makes prompt voiding part of any unwind, and it is one of the reasons an unwound deal needs a documented process rather than a handshake.
| Item | Rule | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Base plate allotment | Five per licensed dealer | 41-3-503(3) |
| Additional plates | One more per 25 vehicles sold each year | 41-3-503(3) |
| Minimum sales to hold plates | Three vehicles in any 12-month period | 41-3-503(4) |
| Temporary permit duration | Not to exceed 45 days | 41-3-302(1)(b) |
| Penalty for an outstanding permit | Equal to the registration fee, collected from the dealer | 41-3-302(1)(d) |
| Plate suspension appeal | Written notice of appeal within 10 days | 41-3-508(3)(a) |
| Hearing after appeal | Scheduled not more than 20 days after the appeal is received | 41-3-508(3)(b) |
Emissions Inspection Before Issuing a Permit
Section 41-3-303 conditions temporary permits on emissions testing. A licensed dealer may not issue a temporary permit for a vehicle unless the vehicle passed an emissions inspection test if one is required by Section 41-6a-1642.
Three exceptions apply. A dealer may issue a permit without proof of inspection if the vehicle is exempt from emissions inspection under Section 41-6a-1642, if the purchaser is a resident of a county that does not require emissions inspections, or if the vehicle is otherwise exempt.
The fourth path is different and worth knowing: a dealer may sell a motor vehicle as is without an emissions inspection if the dealer does not issue a temporary permit. The inspection obligation attaches to the permit, not to the sale.
The 10-Day Appeal Window
Plate suspensions move on a different and much faster track than license actions. Under Section 41-3-508, the division may suspend or revoke special plates if it determines the person is not lawfully entitled to them, has made or knowingly permitted illegal use of them, has committed fraud in the registration of motor vehicles, or failed to give notices of sales or transfers required under the chapter.
Suspension or revocation takes effect immediately upon written notification. The licensee must immediately return all special plates, and failing to return them or permitting their continued use is itself a violation of the chapter.
To appeal, the licensee must file a written notice of appeal with the administrator within 10 days of the suspension or revocation. The administrator then schedules a hearing for not more than 20 days from the date the written appeal is received. The licensee may not continue to use or possess suspended or revoked plates in the meantime.
Ten days is much shorter than the 30-day response period that applies to a formal proceeding under the Administrative Procedures Act, which is covered in our guide to a Utah dealer license suspension hearing. Treating a plate notice on a license-action timeline forfeits the appeal.
Separately, a peace officer may confiscate any special plate the officer has reason to believe is being used illegally, and a confiscated plate may not be returned if the administrator determines it was being used illegally.
A Short Compliance Routine
- Reconcile the plate log monthly. Every plate accounted for, every assignee named and current. This is the cheapest fix on the list.
- Audit who is driving what. Demo units assigned to staff, vehicles at detail shops, and units out on extended test drives are where assignments go stale.
- Track permit expirations at 30 days, not 45. The penalty is automatic and equals the registration fee, so the only defense is timing.
- Void permits on every rescinded deal, immediately. The statute removes your liability, but only if the permit is voided.
- Confirm emissions status before issuing, not after. Remember that selling as is without a permit is a lawful alternative.
- Calendar the 10-day appeal window now. Decide in advance who opens division mail and who is authorized to act on it.
These obligations sit on top of the underlying licensing requirements covered in our guide to Utah dealer license requirements and the class-by-class breakdown in which Utah dealer license you need. For the broader picture, see our resources for an attorney for car dealerships in Utah.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many dealer plates can a Utah dealership have?
Five per licensed dealer, plus one additional plate for every 25 motor vehicles sold each year. The division sets the number at least annually using the dealer’s sales history, or sales projections where no history exists.
Can I put a dealer plate on a car I rent out?
No. Section 41-3-501 prohibits using dealer plates on a motor vehicle leased or rented for compensation, in place of registration on a vehicle the dealer has sold, or on a loaded commercial vehicle over 26,000 pounds without a loaded demonstration permit.
How long is a Utah temporary permit good for?
Not more than 45 days. A permit still outstanding after 45 days is delinquent, and a penalty equal to the registration fee is collected from the issuing dealer, who is also liable for the registration fee itself.
What happens if a deal is unwound after I issued a temporary permit?
If the sale is subsequently rescinded, the temporary permit may be voided and the issuing dealer is not liable for the registration fee or the penalty. Voiding the permit promptly is what preserves that protection.
Do I need an emissions test before issuing a temporary permit?
Yes, unless the vehicle is exempt under Section 41-6a-1642, the purchaser resides in a county that does not require inspections, or the vehicle is otherwise exempt. A dealer may also sell a vehicle as is without an inspection by not issuing a temporary permit at all.
How long do I have to appeal a dealer plate suspension?
Ten days. You must file a written notice of appeal with the administrator within 10 days of the suspension or revocation, and the administrator then schedules a hearing within 20 days of receiving it. The suspension is effective immediately in the meantime.
What records do I have to keep for dealer plates?
A written record of every special plate issued to you, including the name and address of anyone a plate is assigned to, accounting for every plate at all times, open to inspection by any peace officer or division employee under Section 41-3-507.
Plate and permit findings are how a routine inspection becomes a broader enforcement file. A short review of your log and permit process is inexpensive insurance.
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This article is general information, not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Citations are to Utah Code Title 41, Chapter 3 as published by the Utah Legislature and current as of October 2026. Confirm the current text and any applicable division rule before relying on a deadline.